Garbage collection, while routine, requires the temporary storage of absorbent materials, typically biodegradable by ambient bacteria, whose activity is enhanced by a liquid medium. In typical use, garbage cans are placed in the ambient for collection, sometimes a day or more in advance of pickup and disposal. While cans are typically closed with lids or covers designed to prevent water entry, for example from rainfall, the covers may become distorted or removed by happenstance, allowing rainfall to enter, enhancing the bacterial action, disease and the weight of the loaded can.
Accordingly, once liquid enters the can, from rainfall, or is placed in the can, for example by refuse or garbage containing liquid, the liquid remains in the can, adding weight to the can's contents, making pickup more difficult and increasing the threat of disease by water or air borne microbiological contaminants.
Cans and other containers for temporary storage of an organic or inorganic mass or composite material, which can absorb liquids, have lacked an efficient way of diverting water, for example from rainfall, or from liquid within the material, away from the material stored within the container, allowing the liquid to be drained into a separated space, for separated storage of the liquid for disposal or for continuous draining into ambient space or another container. One example of a vented container for organic waste is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,468. The container includes a perforated false bottom to elevate the biomass and to allow air to circulate through the contained biomass. However, the organic waste container as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,468, lacks a facility for holding liquid which may enter the container and which may be drained by a drain plug or other means for a controlled opening the container space with the stored or drained liquid.